URMSTON CC will be strengthened this week with the arrival of overseas player Joseph O'Connor and leg spinner Matthew Parkinson ready for their trip to Didsbury to entertain Ainsdale in the ECB National Knockout Cup.

Chris Turner's side will be looking to bounce back after their disappointing start to the Cheshire County League Division One campaign losing by six wickets to local rivals Timperley at the weekend.

Timperley won the toss and after the loss of Brad Yates for just three, Urmston rallied with a partnership of 42 between Callum Parkinson and Calum Turner before the latter departed the scene on 25.

Urmston were bowled out for 140 with four overs to spare including Sumit Panda's 35 and Chris Turner's 19.

The hosts started well in the field with Zi Hassan taking the wicket of Michael Ness with only two on the board.

But the wicket did not get any better as Dean Cooper and Asif Iqbal (78) put on 116 for the next wicket which Iqbal was caught by Calum Turner off Panda who ended with 2-34.

Elsewhere, Stretford CC are kick-starting their campaign this weekend when they travel to Denton in the Greene King Lancashire County League.

Wasim Zafar's side have strengthened during the off-season with the arrivals of Danie Van Schoor, Stephen Green and Ibrar Latif.

Van Schoor is the younger brother of one our previous overseas Ray and hails from Namibia.

He plays for Namibia under 19's and club cricket with Ray and his dad for Trustco United CC in the Namibian Premier league.

Danie is a top order batsman and frontline off-spinner.

Green is a left-arm spinner and middle order batsman and was born in Scotland lives in Zambia, went to school in South Africa where he played his cricket.

He spent the winter playing in Melbourne where he had a successful season.

Ibrar lives in Old Trafford but has played the majority of his cricket in the extremely tough Yorkshire leagues, but with his son playing for Manchester City juniors he has decided to play closer to home and has joined us at Stretford.

Ibrar is a quality and hard hitting batsman who score 200 against Scholes in the Huddersfield league last season.

The club welcome new members both playing and social to our picturesque ground off Lesley Road in Stretford.